Ball-trap



(No Model.) 0. F. STOCK.

BALL TRAP 4 NO. 295,302. Patented Mar. 18, 1884.

VENTOR ATTORNEYS.

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UNITED STATES CHARLES F. STOCK, OF PEORIA, ILLlNOIS.

BALL-TRAP.

SPECIFICATIGN forming part of Letters Patent No. 295,302, dated March 18, 1884 Application filed December :28, 1883. (No model.)

This invention relates to that class of targetthrowing devices known as clay-pigeon and ball traps, wherein athrowingarm swinging upon a center is employed; and the invention consists in the employment of a novel device at the outer end of the throwing-arm for h olding the target, the same being adapted to retain the target during the swing of the arm and to release it at the proper time for causing it to be properly projected into the air.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures- Figure l is a perspective view of a target throwing device having one form of my new targct'holdiug plate or clip applied thereto, showing in full lines the target-holding clip in the position it occupies when the target is placed in the trap, ready to be thrown, and in dotted lines the position it assumes at the time of releasing the target. Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation ofthe'outer end of the throwing-arm, showing the construction and arrangement of the clip. Figs. 3 ands show, respectively, in plan and side elevation a modified form of clip, wherein a spring is used. Fig. 5 shows in side elevation another form of clip wherein asprin g is used. Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a clip arranged without a spring, and Fig. 7 is aperspective view of a clip forthrowing glass balls or other targets having small orifices.

A is the throwing-arm of the trap, to the outer end of which arm my new clip B is hinged. The arm A is secured to the pulley G, which is operated by pulling upon the cord D for rapidly swinging the arm A from the position shown in full lines in Fig. 1 (where it is retained by the tension-spring E) to that shown in dotted lines for throwing the target into the air. The clip Bis composed of the bent plate a, which carries the rubber block I), and has hinged to its under side the tongue 0,

'with it, being held by the clip B.

by which the clip is hinged to the outer end of throwing-arm A, in the slot (2 thereof upon the pin e. The tongue 0 is beveled or brought to a point at its lower end, and against its lower pointed end impinges the bent end f of the friction-springf, secured to the lower side of the arm A, as shown clearly in Fig. 2. The pressure of the springf upon the lower end of the tongue 0 may be regulated by the screw 9'.

lVhen the clip B is arranged for use, the tongue 0 will be brought to the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2, where it will be held with considerable force by the spring f. The plate a will then be swung around upon the swivel or hinge-pin a", so that the block b will stand parallel with the arm A, as shown in full lines in Fig. 1. that is, swung back, so,that the stud c thereof will be engaged by the tension-spring E. The target F, which is a cupped clay target, (shown in dotted lines) will then be placed upon the weighted portion A of the body B of the target against the lip (l and. over the block I) or lip of the clip, as illustrated inFig. 1. Now upon pulling upon the cord 1) the arm A will be detached from the tensionspring E and swing rapidly to the posit-ion shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1, where it will be suddenly stopped by the reverse action of thccord 1) upon the pulley C. As the arm A swings around the target F will be carried The con trifugal force of the target, imparted by the rapid swinging of the arm A, will gradually turn the plate a upon the hinge-pin a", as the arm A proceeds until. the direction of the cen trifugal force comes in line with the slot (1 in the outer end of the arm A, whereupon the lower end of the tongue 0 will be forced back of the friction-springf, which will permit the plate a to drop down to the position shown in full lines in Fig. 2 and in dotted lines in Fig. 1, and thus release the target. The slot (2 being made in the line of the length of the arm A, it will be seen thatthe clip B will not release the target until the arm A reaches the end of its swing, so that the target will receive all of the propulsive force of rapid swinging of the arm, save that which is lost in overcoming the friction of the spring f.

The arm A will now be set-- In the form of clip shown in Figs. 3 and 4, instead of hinging the main plate a to the tongue and providing the plate with ablock of rubber, I attach the plate rigidly to the tongue 0 and pivot upon the plate the button h, which turns with the centrifugal force of the target and releases the target at the proper time by the dropping of the main plate to an inclined position at the end of the sweep of the arm A of the same, as in the form of clip shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the tongue 0 turning in slot at against the action of the spring f. In place of the button h a plain stud might be used with good results; but with the button there is no danger of breaking the rim of the target, as might be the case with the stud.

In the form of clip shown in Fig. 5 the target is held to the throwing-arm A by the plate j, attached to the upper end of the bolt 7a, which passes through the arm A, and has the coiled spring I placed upon it, so as to act between the under side of the arm A and the nut r on lower end of the said bolt is. In the upl per side of the arm A is formed the transverse slot m, into which the spring Z suddenly draws the plate j when the target is to be released. In settingthis form of clip the plate j will be lifted out of the slot at against the tension of the spring Z and turned across the slot in parallel with the length of the arm A, and the rim of the target will be placed over the'plate j, as over the button It and block. I) in the forms of clips above described. As the arm A swings around the centrifugal force of the target will turn the plate j until it comes parallel with the slot in, whereupon the spring Z will draw it quickly into the slot on and thus release the target. I

In the form of clip shown in Fig. 6' thetarget is held to the throwingarm A by the block of rubber I), held' in the bent plate 0, which is hinged to the plate 1), pivoted upon the upper arm A.

ing the bent plate 0 and rubber block b in po sition parallel with the arm A for receiving and holding the target. The edge of the target to be thrown will be placed, as in the other forms, over the block b, which will hold the target until its centrifugal force swings the plates 1) and 0 around in line with the slot (1 in the arm A and the slot in the plate q, whereupon the toe 0 will drop into the said slots and permit the plate 0 and block b to drop to an inclined position and thus release the tar get.

The form 'of clip shown in Fig. 7 is to all intentsand purposes like that shown in Fig. 6, except that inplace of the bent plate 0' and rubber block b the plate 1) has hinged to it the small toe-plate s, which is formed or provided with the pin t, which is adapted to haveplaced upon it glass balls or other targets having small orifices suitable to receive the said pin. The pin it, by means of the plate q and toe'o,

is held in vertical position when the plate 191's turned at right angles to the throwing-arm A, as shown,- in which position it will hold the glass-ball target, and will continue to'holdthe same during the swinging movement of the arm A, until the centrifugal force of the target swings the plate 1) around, so that the 130cc coincides with the slot in the plate q and the slot (1 in thearm A, whereupon the pin t will drop to a position nearly parallel with the arm A, and thusrelease the target. 1

Having thus described my inventionjwhat I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is'

1. The combination, with the throwing-arm of a target-throwing device,-of a clip for holding the target, arranged to automatically drop below the upper surface of the throwingarm for releasing the target, substantially as described. v

2. The target-holding clip, eonsisting of the pivoted plate 19, having the plate 0, provided with toe 0, hinged to it, in combination with the slotted plate (1, all adapted to be operated substantially as described.

CHARLES F. STOCK.

XVitnesses:

H; A. Wnsr, EDGAR TATE. 

